World Championships: No. 1 Seed for Marleen Veldhuis for 50 Freestyle Final

By John Lohn

MELBOURNE, Australia, March 31. SHE was the unexpected silver medalist in an absolutely loaded 100 freestyle field and her 50 freestyle is shaping up splendidly, too. Collecting the No. 1 qualifying mark for the championship final of the one-lap sprint, the Netherlands' Marleen Veldhuis produced a clocking of 24.79. That outing was just enough to place the United States' Kara Lynn Joyce in the second spot.

The four-time NCAA champion in the 50 free for the University of Georgia, Joyce delivered a personal-best time and put herself in position to grab a medal. Joyce's effort continued a great night for American sprinting, as Ben Wildman-Tobriner and Cullen Jones took gold and silver in the final of the men's 50 freestyle.

Less than an hour after winning the championship in the 50 butterfly, Sweden's Therese Alshammar was third-quickest in the 50 free semifinals, going 24.83. The Australian tandem of Libby Lenton (24.89) and Jodie Henry (25.06) took fourth and fifth, with Germany's Britta Steffen also earning a piece of fifth. American Natalie Coughlin (25.08) and France's Malia Metella (25.10) were seventh and eighth.

Click Here to view event results PDF file.

Check back for an updated story on this event as our team of Senior Writer John Lohn and CEO Brent Rutemiller, on the scene at Rod Laver Arena, provide in-depth coverage, along with radio and TV segments.

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